Parents undergo DNA test to claim missing sonTejesh Tripathi BONGAIGAON, April 29 - A poor couple had to undergo a DNA test for getting back their son, who was rescued eight months ago by the police after he went missing in the 2012 BTAD clashes.

Barun (name changed), an 11-year old boy, went missing while on his way home in Fakiragram area from Jaraguri near Gerukabari here on July 29, 2012 with his aunt’s 16-year-old son, Bimal (name changed).

Barun, who was caught in the violence on the way, somehow managed to escape along with his cousin and instead of going to Kokrajhar, the duo boarded a Guwahati-bound train. After spending a few days in Guwahati, they got onto a wrong bus and reached Boko in Kamrup district.

A woman named Mariam Khatun (name changed), a resident of Sontoli in Boko area, offered shelter to Barun in her residence and engaged him as a domestic help in another person’s house in the same locality. Bimal was later taken in by another family in the same locality, a police source said.

In August last year, Barun’s father, Mantu (45), and mother, Urmi (42) – both names changed – somehow got to know the whereabouts of their son and reached Mariam’s residence in Boko area to get back their son. But Mariam allegedly misbehaved with the couple and created a scene, claiming that Barun was her son. Thereafter, the Boko police rescued Barun and took him to the children’s home at Fatasil Ambari in Guwahati.

Since the two parties claimed the custody of Barun as legal guardians, the Child Welfare Committee and the police decided to conduct the DNA test of the claimants before handing over the child to the real parents.

As the missing FIR of these two boys had been filed at Garukabari Patrol Post in Bongaigaon district, both the claimants were called to the Bongaigaon Civil Hospital to give their blood samples for the DNA test. Montu and Urmi cooperated with the police in giving their blood samples, but Mariam did not.

Barun’s blood sample was also collected in the hospital on Thursday. Barun spoke freely with Montu and Urmi and said that they were his actual parents. Barun would remain in the children’s home in Guwahati till the final forensic report comes out. Thereafter, he would be handed over to his actual parents, a police inspector said.